You are here

Administrative Law Judge Decisions

After a Regional Director issues a complaint in an unfair labor practice case, an NLRB Administrative Law Judge hears the case and issues a decision and recommended order, which can then be appealed to the Board in Washington. If no exceptions are filed, the judge's order becomes the order of the Board. An administrative law judge's decision is not binding legal precedent in other cases unless it has been adopted by the Board on review of exceptions; these judges function much like trial court judges hearing a case without a jury. Such hearings are conducted at the locality where the unfair labor practice allegedly occurred. On occasion, administrative law judges also issue decisions in non-complaint, post-election representation cases that may be appealed to the Board.